Staff at a pharmacy in Somerset found out that their place of work was closing just days after Christmas.

Lloyds Pharmacy is in the process of closing a branch on Church Street in Cheddar and only recently announced the move.

A resident, who asked to remain anonymous, contacted Somerset Live about the closure.

He said: “I find it a bit upsetting. There's been a chemists shop there since I first moved to Cheddar in 1955.

“Albeit, it has changed hands a few times. But, a chemists' shop has been on that corner all those years - even when I've been away and having occasional visits back to my roots.

“Ok, so there is a Tout’s Pharmacy across the road in Sainsbury’s but for grumpy old gits of my age who remember it as the West of England Concrete Company occupying that space and who hate supermarkets, it is a bit of a knife in the guts.

“It’s another case of a part of the heart and soul of Cheddar being removed. So many shops of the old days gone. Just a few remain but now it will be another one gone.”

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The corporate communications department for Lloyds did provide this statement to Somerset Live , however.

A spokesman said: “We can confirm that we are in the process of closing our LloydsPharmacy on Church Street in Cheddar. This is an on-going process, therefore it is too early to give any further details. Our priority is to ensure that our employees and patients are cared for and supported during this period.

“This decision has been made due to NHS England cuts to reimbursement and increases in retrospective clawbacks, which means this store is no longer commercially viable.”